The subject matter herein relates generally to implant assemblies, and more particularly, to implant assemblies having angled heads and/or angled handles.
When a vertebrae is broken or crushed, it is frequently necessary to remove the bone partially or completely. In order to prevent the spinal instabilities with damage to the fragile spinal cord and the nerve roots, it is necessary to employ a spacer or implant. The implant bridges the defect vertically between the bodies of the adjacent vertebra and holds them apart at the desired spacing.
The implant is set in an area where the body or bodies of one or more vertebrae have been removed. The length of the implant is then increased by forcing end elements of the implant outward and bringing the outer elements into solid engagement with the confronting vertebral surfaces. The system can be used to distract and to stabilize the vertebrae, as necessary in the event of a destruction of the vertebrae caused by tumor, trauma or infection. The implant can be filled with autologous bone or any other material that ensures that the implant becomes anchored in place in living bone.
Such implants have proven very effective in use. However, it may be fairly difficult to position and expand the implant. Thus, the surgical field must normally be fairly wide in order to permit the surgeon to access the implant with a tool. For example, when placing the implant from the posterior into the anterior part of the spine, the implant is typically desired to be positioned as much in the middle of the spine as possible. Coming from the posterior, the implant is inserted slightly offset to the side and moved around the spine to place the implant in the middle of the anterior part of the vertebral body. Such manipulation of the implant is difficult and requires a large incision through the patient's back in order to achieve the leverage required to position the implant within the spine. A second example is the placement of the implant from the anterior side when manipulation of the implant becomes difficult in a deep situs.
A need remains for an implant assembly capable of positioning an implant from any approach such as the posterior, anterolateral, lateral or anterior of the patient into an anterior part of the spine. A need remains for an implant assembly that can be used with minimal invasion and trauma to the patient.